Ecclesiastes // Chasing MeaningSample

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

When I read Solomon’s statement, “And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure…” it makes me pause. That is one audacious statement! Solomon described an unrestrained pursuit of pleasure. Whatever he wanted to have, he took. Whatever he wanted to do, he did. Yes, I realize Solomon may be using hyperbole. But still, this statement puts him as a leading candidate for the Hedonism trophy.

And that’s just the point, isn’t it?

Solomon had the power, authority, and wealth to have anything he wanted without being checked or questioned. There were no parameters on what he could do or have. He didn’t push the boundaries; he blew right through them. The excessive number of wives and concubines proves his unquenchable desires. And yet, there was one day when he woke up and said, “Enough!” This is all “vanity and a striving after wind….”

The point of the passage is this: Solomon experienced anything and everything “under the sun.” There was nothing left to try. Yet, he found nothing that satisfied. Neither will we, with our limited experiences.

All pleasure-seeking is useless. The only thing that matters is fearing God—loving, respecting, honoring, and obeying him. When we consider life through our relationship with Jesus, having an eternal perspective, we learn that the limitlessness we seek is not found in earthly pleasure but in the eternal presence of God in heaven. When we start with God, we get to enjoy the present and the future!

Father, help me learn from the man who tried everything. Nothing satisfies but you. Help me seek first the things of your kingdom and your righteousness so that all the other things I need will come as a bonus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.